​

Three days of tech, two previews, and a lot of love went into getting us ready to open tonight! Join us for some good laughs, inconvenient miracles, and this powerhouse of female performers.The Secret Theatre @ 7pm.

On this day, our first performance, we would like to introduce you to the final cast member of WHATCHAMACALLIT, Miranda Stevens!

TSR: What’s your role in our production of WAPAJ?MS: I play Vanessa's Nurse.

TSR: Tell us the story of how you first got involved in the theatre.MS: I don't think there was one specific moment, but I do remember making people laugh as a kid and deciding that that's what I wanted to do forever, more than anything.

TSR: What’s your funniest memory from High School?MS: Oh boy... I went to a boarding school, so I lived with my best friends and a lot of our antics were things that I don't think I can mention on a public forum... However, I did embarrass myself a lot in high school, which wasn't funny for me at the time, but definitely is in retrospect. The one that comes to mind is the time I fell face-first out of a party bus, in my prom dress, in front of half my class.

TSR: What would you be a Patron Saint of? MS: Puns.

TSR: Why should we see this play?MS: Listen, it's not often that you find a group of 10 ladies who are talented, smart, funny, AND good-looking. So I suggest you take advantage of this opportunity. Also, maybe this is just me, but I feel like the Secret Theatre has some secrets, and I wanna find out what they are.

With only 1 day left until our first preview, we would like to introduce you to two phenomenal actors playing disciples in WAPAJ, Charlotte Pines and Courtney McClellan!

TSR: What’s your role in our production of WAPAJ?Charlotte: I'm playing a disciple of St. Angela's local mystic. Mining all of my adolescent weirdness and insecurity to maximum comedic effect, hopefully!Courtney: In our production of WAPAJ, I play a disciple and witness.TSR: Tell us the story of how you first got involved in the theatre.Charlotte: I was involved in theatre from a very young age. My parents are both artists - my mother is an opera singer and voice teacher, and my father is poet and author, Paul Pines. They like to reference an apparently not apocryphal story of the time I came downstairs at a family friend's house at 2 years old and recited Maleficent's "I too have a gift for the new born babe..." speech in its entirety as the moment they knew I would have theatrical inclinations. They put me in ballet classes, and youth theatre programs early on, and at 5, I secured the lead in my kindergarten production of Snow White (arguably my best work to date, available on YouTube.) It all just kind of snowballed from there.Courtney: Watching a Nashville performance of a Broadway tour's production of Ain't Misbehavin' with my mother when I was 8 was where it first hit me. The lights, the music, the costumes, the bigger-than-life characters and their free emotions outpoured for everyone to see and feel had me hooked. Aside from reenacting "Stone Soup" in front of my reading class as a book report when I was 6 with my then-crush and classmate Duncan Jones, my first real theatrical experience was ironically a production that I rehearsed for, but never actually got to perform. My freshman year of high school, I was cast, also equally ironically, as a nun in the Sound of Music. Two weeks before opening night, I came down with a bad case of appendicitis that damn near killed me. Subsequently, I was in recovery during all of the performance dates. Even though I was too sick to perform in the show, an unexpected experience solidified theatre as a permanent fixture in my life. For the first time, I felt as though I was a part of a community...like I belonged. My theatre family showered me with love while I was in the hospital and in recovery. I realized during "the process," I'd come to build relationships with my peers both onstage and off that gave me purpose and a place to call my own: theatre. Though the work, time, dedication, and love I diligently put into rehearsals for my first real part in a play were never actualized on stage, I was able to hobble to a seat in the audience for the closing show. And you needn't worry; I, like any good theatre junkie of this century, have had the opportunity to perform The Sound of Music three times since the appendix incident. Trust me, I've had enough raindrops on roses to last me a lifetime.TSR: What’s your funniest memory from High School?Charlotte: I don't... even know how to answer that... I can tell you there was a gin-cident after my first breakup, which is why I've never been to prom?Courtney: My funniest memory from High School was having a blackout party after a dance...by complete happenstance. Having gone to an all-girls private Catholic school, bringing a date to a dance was particularly challenging, because unless you were Lauren Peterson, the popular blonde blue-eyed bombshell that had guys lining up with marriage proposals to go with her corsage to beg her to let them take her to school dances that weren't even theirs, you had to do what the rest of us did: Grab your balls and ask a guy to take you. One year, for what I believe was a Winter Formal dance (which subistitued what would normally be homecoming for any other normal school - it's hard to have homecoming with no football team), me and my entire group of friends were successfully able to procure (or dupe) dates for the dance. We had convincingly made the evening enticing with plans for a limo escort both to and from the event and a promise of a blast of a party at our friend Amanda's house (who obviosly had the "coolest" parents of us all...so cool in fact that they left town for the weekend and put her 17 year-old brother in charge of the house) after the dance, complete with hot hors d'oeuvres, x-box, and a late night movie sleepover...very Catholic-school-girl of us. Everything was going as expected as we left the questionably decorated school gym and the exceptionally mediocre dance to head back to Amanda's for what was sure to be the best part of the evening with our dates. During our limo ride back, however, it started to storm. Badly. And the walk from her driveway left us all in puddles of running glittery makeup, ill-fitting formal wear, and unwalkable shoes in her front foyer. We were just getting used to the idea of changing out of our beautiful clothes to enjoy the rest of the evening when boom. Lightning and thunder cracked the silence and the house went dark. We lost power. With no food, no x-box and no movies in sight, two of our six dates abandoned ship and left for cooler post-dance parties they'd been receiving texts about all evening. We however made vodka lemonade with the lemon of a night we'd been handed and popped corn over a fire, and told stories that has us in stitches until the sun poured into Amanda's windows and restored light to the house. Our worst dance ended up perhaps being our best but certainly our funniest memory. TSR: What would you be a Patron Saint of? Charlotte: This is the best question. I'd like to be the Patron Saint of Star-gazers, Bird-watchers, Whimsy and Great Jokes.Courtney: I would be the Patron Saint of brunch...the protector of all those who love to combine their Saturday and Sunday morning breakfast foods with their Friday and Saturday evening drinking habits in the most respectable way. Blessed be the drunk, no matter the time of day. TSR: Why should we see this play? Charlotte: You should see this play because it's original, sincere, funny, poignant, and feminist AF.Courtney: You should see Whatchamacallit because, in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Jesus has revealed to me that He has a special blessing for those that love Him and come to see plays about Him.

With only 2 DAYS left until we open, we introduce you to two phenomenal actors playing twin teen disciples!

TSR: What’s your role in our production of WAPAJ?Jasmine: I am Margret, disciple, and the other half to my lovely twin Matilda. Natalie: I'm disciple Matilda Callaghan, sister of Margaret!

TSR: Tell us the story of how you first got involved in the theatre.Jasmine: When my Aunt Deedee from New York came to visit my family in Hawaii, she introduced me to A Chorus Line. We spent the evening coming up with choreography to 'One' which would later be performed as the post dinner entertainment for my parents. I was 4 and spent the next few moths learning all the words to 'Dance 10, Looks 3.' If you know the song, you'll understand why my mother was unhappy.Natalie: I was a mouse in an adaptation of "The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse" when I was five, and I thought I would have gotten a bigger part if I were six. So with that logic, I obviously had to keep doing it.

TSR: What’s your funniest memory from High School?Jasmine: There was an annual event at my school called the Flaming P. Natalie: Oof...it wasn't that long ago...the wounds are still fresh...I guess any time I tried to ask someone out? Haha...

TSR: What would you be a Patron Saint of? Jasmine: I am the Patron Saint of Losing All Things Important. It's truly unfortunate. Natalie: Sinus infections.

TSR: Why should we see this play? Jasmine: This piece is ruled, run, created, experienced, and loved, by incredible women you need to come see.Natalie: ​Because Margaret & I have been working super hard in choir practice and you should really hear us sing.

With only a few days left until opening, it's time to meet another one of our cast members, Claire Buckingham!TSR: What’s your role in our production of WAPAJ?CB: I am playing Trudy. She's a passionate, driven social worker.

TSR: Tell us the story of how you first got involved in the theatre.CB: The small, Montessori elementary I went to didn't have a theatre program. Some other first graders and myself started scripting and staging myths from the classroom copy of D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths. We would perform them after school for our parents. My first role was as Pestilence in the Pandora story, because I already owned a bat costume. I've been type cast ever since.

TSR: What’s your funniest memory from High School?I got my first detention because Erykah Badu wouldn't let me get my homework out of my locker. It wasn't funny at the time.

TSR: What would you be a Patron Saint of? The obvious answer is Gingers. I don't know. Patron Saint of Crafting and White Wine?

TSR: Why should we see this play? This is such an awesome piece of lady-driven theatre. It straddles groundedness and hilarity in a way that isn't commonly available to female characters.

﻿With only one week until opening, we'd love for you to meet another one of our ladies, Regina Strayhorn! TSR: What’s your role in our production of WAPAJ?RS: I'm playing Florence, our floundering nun.

TSR: Tell us the story of how you first got involved in the theatre.RS: My parents noticed that i kept on memorizing movies and performing then alone on the fireplacemantel, so they signed me up for theater summer camp. I made up a line while we were creating ouroriginal play, and everyone laughed and decided to keep it in. From then on I was like "Oh yeah, I've got ideas."

TSR: What’s your funniest memory from High School?RS: In gym class where everyone was required to ballroom dance. That was ridiculous.

TSR: What would you be a Patron Saint of? ​RS: Listening.

TSR: Why should we see this play? ​RS: WAPAJ is hilarious and heartwarming, and everyone involved is extremely talented. Plus, everyoneshould experience Catholic school at least once.

​﻿﻿WHATCHAMACALLIT opens in just ten days! Meet Hannah Jane Ginsberg, and then see her in action! whatchamacallit.bpt.me

TSR: What’s your role in our production of WAPAJ?HJG: I am playing Margie- pure of mind, practical of heart, and a friend to all.

TSR: Tell us the story of how you first got involved in the theatre.HJG: I was drawn to performing from literally before I would walk. When I was little and crawling around and my parents wanted me to come to them, they would play the Phantom of the Opera soundtrack on our living room stereo, and I would come knee-ing in as soon as I heard the overture.

TSR: What’s your funniest memory from High School?HJG: My sophomore year of high school, in all of the shows I did, I was cast in roles that were originally written for black men. That was pretty funny.

TSR: What would you be a Patron Saint of? HJG: I believe that I would be Our Lady of the Remembrance of Useless Pop Culture Trivia, Patron Saint of Breakfast for Dinner.

TSR: Why should we see this play? HJG: This play is a larger than life hero's journey, full of absurdism and heart and truth-seeking, brought to you by a team of strong, badass women. Everyone should see it!

With 15 days until Whatchamacallit opens, we'd like you to meet another one of our amazing ladies. Hi, Elizabeth Scopel!TSR: What’s your role in our production of WAPAJ?ES: Abigail, the prophetess// child-wonderTSR: Tell us the story of how you first got involved in the theatre.ES: I wanted so badly to be in a production of Annie when I was in second grade, but I was too young. Instead I had to be in the Christmas Pageant as "Sock-Hop Mrs. Claus." It was a silent role. I cannot sing, but I thought I could if only I could have the opportunity to shine, so after my military dad made us move in fifth grade, I brashly auditioned for Oliver (the kids' version) and got the title part because I was missing teeth (and it was the only part that did not involve singing).TSR: What’s your funniest memory from High School?ES: For my best friend's birthday, she decided we would prank call people we didn't like. Real mature, I know. We called mean jocks and her buds from California, and had an hour long conversation about the pancake people (people made out of pancakes). I was quite the nerd, so the concept of "hanging out" was fun, exciting, and new. I think I peed my pants a little I was laughing so hard.TSR: What would you be a Patron Saint of? ES: Either Lactose-Intolerance or OatmealTSR: Why should we see this play? ES: Because all these ladies are badass, and you bet you should support them!

Meet one of WHATCHAMACALLIT's protagonists, Vanessa, played by Miranda Poett!We asked Miranda a few questions. Here's what she had to say.

TSR: What’s your role in our production of WAPAJ?Miranda: I'm thrilled to be taking on the role of Vanessa. It's certainly going to be a wild ride!

TSR: Tell us the story of how you first got involved in the theatre.Miranda: I was always a very...boisterous child. So, when my Aunt realized that Cotillion wasn't going to be the right activity for me, (an odd tradition for a family of cattle-ranchers) she decided it would be a good idea to get me involved with the local musical theatre scene. Suddenly I found myself playing Laurie Williams in Oklahoma! I was blown away by the experience, particularly my first taste of the terror and excitement that is live theatre. During one of the more energetic dance numbers, I somehow managed to kick a castmate right in the head. From that moment on, I was hooked.

TSR: What’s your funniest memory from High School?Miranda: I may not have gone to an all girls catholic school, but there was nothing traditional about my schooling. For lack of a better description, I attended a hippy boarding school in the woods. It's a hard place to wrap your mind around so instead of trying to describe it, I'll just ask for a little willing suspension of disbelief. One fateful night, towards the end of my junior year, two of my best friends and I decided to sneak out. Cruising, as we called it at school, was usually reserved for the more nefarious midnight deeds (much like burying condoms in a carrot patch). Our motives however, were just a tad less sophisticated. Our plan was to hike a mile and a half away from campus, to a local reservoir on the property, for a late night skinny dip. The evening involved army crawling through a field, hopping fences, and dodging sleeping campers. But, what makes this my funniest memory from high-school is what we all decided to wear as we took this jaunt.On the off chance that we were to get caught, we thought it best that we should go down in style. We each donned a different colored pirate shirt (I went with black), and ceremoniously cut ourselves masks from an old bed sheet. Oh yeah, we were just that cool. Where'd the pirate shirts come from, you ask? Every Friday we would attend dinner dressed like pirates. Like I said, super cool.

TSR: What would you be a Patron Saint of? Miranda: Boss Ass B*tches ​TSR: Why should we see this play? Miranda: Who doesn't want to live in a world where anything is possible for an evening? We all need little miracles sometimes, and this play is full of 'em.